Constellation Research founder details Palantir’s military AI, OpenAI’s medical technology acquisition, and Gemini’s partnership with Apple on Varney & Co.
A federal jury has found a former Google engineer guilty of stealing artificial intelligence (AI) trade secrets and spying on Chinese tech companies, ending a high-profile Silicon Valley trial.
Lingwei Ding, also known as Leung Ding, was found guilty on all charges Thursday after an 11-day trial in San Francisco U.S. District Court, as detailed in court documents obtained by FOX Business.
Prosecutors alleged that Ding secretly stole proprietary AI-related data from Google while collaborating with companies linked to the People’s Republic of China.
Ding, 38, was hired by Google in 2019 as a software engineer working in the company’s supercomputing data centers training and deploying advanced AI models.
What we know about the Chinese national accused of smuggling biological materials while in a university lab
Giant Google logo at Google Bayview Campus in Mountain View, California, August 13, 2024 (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
The jury found him guilty of seven counts of trade secret theft and seven counts of economic espionage, concluding that he stole sensitive AI technology while working at Google.
The stolen information included Google’s proprietary hardware and software systems used to power AI workloads, including custom chips and networking technology.
Federal prosecutors say Ding began copying Google’s confidential internal documents in May 2022, transferring the files to personal cloud accounts while disguising his activities to evade security systems.
According to the government, Ding transferred more than 1,000 unique files totaling about 14,000 pages, including 105 documents that are central to the criminal case.
State Department official suspected of deleting classified documents meets with Chinese officials
A former Google employee has been found guilty of stealing AI secrets for a Chinese company. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Getty Images)
The defense argued that Ding never sold or used the information and that Google failed to adequately protect the documents.
“We respect the jury’s verdict, but we are obviously disappointed,” Ding’s attorney, Grant Fond, of Goodwin Procter, said after the verdict was announced.
Mr. Ding was indicted in March 2024, and the charges were expanded in a superseding indictment filed on February 4, 2025.
Prosecutors alleged that Ding secretly partnered with two China-based technology companies, serving as chief technology officer of one and founding another while on Google’s payroll.
The indictment also accused Ding of misleading investors by claiming he could replicate Google’s AI supercomputing technology.
Chinese national accused of photographing US stealth bomber base after entering illegally
FBO Headquarters in Washington, DC, July 3, 2023. (Celal Günes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images/Getty Images)
U.S. Attorney Craig H. Misakian said in a statement that the jury “sent a clear message today that the theft of this valuable technology will not go unpunished,” adding that authorities will “strongly protect America’s intellectual capital.”
Sanjay Virmani, FBI special agent in charge of San Francisco, also called the case a national security issue.
“The theft and misuse of advanced artificial intelligence technology for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China threatens our country’s technological advantage and economic competitiveness,” Virmani said in a statement.
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria determined he was not a flight risk and ordered him released pending sentencing.
Click here to download the FOX News app
Ding faces up to 10 years in prison for each theft charge and 15 years for each spying charge, as well as potentially millions of dollars in fines.
His next court appearance is scheduled for February 3, where sentencing proceedings are expected to proceed.
FOX Business has reached out to the Department of Justice and Google for further comment.
